Injured Harmison to miss final county match

England's strike bowler will miss Durham's final county match of the season to allow him more time to recover from a back injury.

England strike bowler Steve Harmison will miss Durham's final county match of the season to allow him more time to recover from a back injury.

Harmison, who missed the one-day series against Pakistan, was scheduled to play in Durham's four-day match against Yorkshire starting at Headingley next Wednesday.

In a statement on Thursday England chairman of selectors David Graveney said Harmison had withdrawn to allow a more gradual progression in his recovery programme before next month's Champions Trophy one-day tournament in India.

"He anticipate that he will be fully fit for the Champions Trophy," he said.

None of the four-member pace attack who were crucial to England's Ashes success over Australia last year are currently in action.

Simon Jones will miss the return series starting in Brisbane on Nov. 23 after a knee operation, captain Andrew Flintoff is recovering from an ankle operation and Matthew Hoggard pulled out of Yorkshire's county match against Nottinghamshire on Wednesday with a side injury.

James Anderson and Liam Plunkett, who were both named in the England Ashes team on Tuesday, are also injured.